Fish Food and Nutrition

You can't pet them, but you'd better feed them!  You should feed your fish whatever they can fully consume in the span of 1-3 minutes, 1-2 times a day. Any more than that and they'll pig out, get fat, and possibly explode, leaving a tank full of fish guts and uneaten food to rot and endanger the other fish. You wouldn't want that.

Things to Consider

  • Species: Many of the feeding needs and habits (including some below) are determined by the type of fish you have. Do some research on the particular type of fish.
  • T. Rex or Apatosaurus: Is your Nemo a carnivore, herbivore or omnivore?
  • Variety: Spice things up in the relationship with your fish -- frozen  and live  foods should be alternated with dry  foods so fishy doesn't get bored.
  • Fish food spoils after several weeks and is useless by a month in. Purchase accordingly.
  • Nutritional Content: In general, protein, minerals, and vitamins are good, everything else (fiber and fat included) should be rationed.

Types of Food

Flakes 

  • The most common type of fish food.
  • The container usually reveals what type of fish it feeds.
  • Tetrafin  is one of the most popular brands.
  • This type of food often comes as a color enhancement formula.

Pellets 

  • Larger and heavier, which is good for bigger fish.
  • A similar form of food comes in tablets which sink for bottom feeders, such as African cichlids and carnivorous fish.
  • Look for the Hikari  brand.

Floating Sticks 

  • Usually large and meant for big outdoor fish such as koi.

Live Fish Food 

  • Great as a special treat or as a regular food for larger fish.
  • Comes in a variety of forms, from brine shrimp to bloodworm, nematodes, and wingless fruit flies.
  • You need to have a high gross-out threshold.

Freeze-Dried 

  • Easy to store and use.
  • Often consists of brine shrimp or bloodworms.

If you are away from your fish on weekends, business trips, or vacation, think about getting an inexpensive automatic fish feeder

External Links

  • About -- A comprehensive guide to fish feeding.
  • Aquariumpros -- Frequently asked aquarium questions. Many of your concerns will be covered here.

International Resources

For this resource in your home country, please see:
DE: Fischfutter